Fluid-controlled variable-speed-transmission gearing.



W. E. SOHEIBNEB.

FLUID CONTROLLED VARIABLF SPEED TRANSMISSION GBARING.

APPLILA'IION FILED SEPT. 13, 1913.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS "SHEET 1 y (3 )1 me n for WM names M S w aw k W. F1. SCHRIBNER.

FLUID sown-1011,1111 VARIABLE 5 MEI) IPANSMISSION GEARING.

AIPLI AHHII FLUID lilll 13,1913

Patented Decv 1, 1914.

Q/vbtvlcmco WA 'r oi rion o WALTER EARLE SCHEIBNER, OF WILBUR, WASHINGTQN.

FLUID-CONTROLLED VARIABLE-SPEED-TRANSMISSION GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914:.

Application filed September 13, 1913. Serial No. 789,642.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, \VALTER EABLE SCHEIBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilbur, in the county of Lincoln, State of lVashington, have invented transmission gearing of the fluid controlled type.

It provides a simple device of this character, which has an extremely flexible range of control without the use of friction surfaces and the attendant loss of power, wear and strain resulting therefrom.

Furthermore my invention provides a transmission device which is particularly adapted for use on automobiles because of its exceedingly simple construction, cflicient and durable operation, flexibility and simplicity of control.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 illustrates a partial side elevation of an automobile embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation view showing the outer casing in section on a vertical plane therethrough, so as to show the mechanism inclosed therein. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on a vertical plane, of my invention showing the details thereof. Fig. 4 is a section view on the line A-A Fig. 3 showing the relative position of the eccentrics. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the fluid control cylindcrs. Fig. 6 is a section view on the line BB Fig. 5 showing in detail the fluid control cylinders, pistons and valves. Fig. 7 shows the levers for simultaneously operating the clutch and valves.

Referring to the drawings: The embodiment of my invention shown herein consists of an exterior casing -1- having j ournaled therein a driving shaft 2 and a driven shaft -3--; the main object being to provide an intermediate gearing between the two shafts, whereby the speed of the driven shaft -3- may be varied at will regardless of the speed-of the driving shaft 2--. \Vith this and other objects in view I provide, on the end of shaft 2 which projects within the casing 1-, a gear 4 keyed thereto, and similarly I provide a gear -5-- on the end of the shaft 3- and keyed thereto. \Vithin the casing -1- and inclosed in the said gears land --5- is mounted th e casing (S-- journaled at -7-*and -8-- on the shafts 2-- and -3--, respectively, so that it mav rotate thereon. Rotatably join-naled in the casing is a shaft -J- carrying the gears --1()and --11- keyed thereto and meshin with the gears -'land -5--, respectively:

Mounted on the shalt -3- adjaccntthc casing -l' and keyed to the said shaft 18 the eccentric drum -l2-. having its periphery formed in three eccentrics -l3-, .1 1 and l5--. The eccentric drum -12- is annularly bored on the side non-adjaccnt the casing (3- and receives therein the male clutch member --16-, slidably mounted on the shaft -.l1--.' This clutch member -16 carries lingers or teeth -17-- which project through bores in the eccentric drum -22 and engage similar bores 17- in the side of the casing.

-6 and which lie at the bottom of the annular groove -18 1n the said casing,

thereby the casing 6-- is utilized as a' female clutch member. The male clutch member 1( 1s normally adapted to be held out of engagement by means of the spring -19- interposed between the male clutch member --1(3- and the eccentric drum -12" and carried by the shaft -3-. The clutch member -1(5- carries a groove external of its journal member and in which the bifurcated end -21- of the lever .22- fits. The lever -22- is suitably fulcrumcd at --23 between its ends and-the other end is connected to the lever -2-.lso that when the lever 24* is rcciprocatcd it throws the clutch member 'l6-- into or out of drivmg engagement as the case may be.

Mounted in the casing l arc the three cylinders --25, -2(3-- and 2T--, containing therein the working pistons --25-, 26 and 27'. The rods -25. -26- and -2T- of these pistons are connected to the rods -l3--, l-'l and ---15"- of the eccentric straps --1l--, -15 and l(.' mounted on the eccentrics l3, -1land --l5 of the drum l2--. so that when the drum --12 is rcvolvcd the pistons are rcciprocatcd within their 1 'cs ')cctive cylinders. Each of the said cylinders have therein two ports --QS- and 28, one at each end of the cylinder and located beyond the travel of the piston. The openings of these ports are controlled by sliding valves 29- and -39'-, all of which are simultaneously actuated by"me ans the lever 30, having the bifurcated end -3l, the two arms of which are connected to the various valves and guided by 'the members --32 carried, by the cylinders.

. .varies directly as the resistance. Tn. automobile construction I mayfind j it,

The cylinders are suitably closed at both ends.

Li suitable arrangement for simultaneously actuating the valves and" the male clutch member is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings and consists in the bell crank levermay e de my InY t Qn=W tI m in any 33'pivoted at 4l ,one end of which is connected to the lever +30-"- by means of thelink 3f the other endbeingoper atively connected to the i actuating lever 86 One end'of the bell-crank; lever is adapted to engage the shoe -'3Z'"carried by the lever 24, actuatingfthe clutcl1,' so that When-the clutch is operated the valve closures will also be operated. 'llhe valve" closures are so arranged ona'bifurcated member that they will" not begin to close the ports until the clutch fully en- "f adaptedto rotate thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted, in [the said. annulan'casing and carrying thereon two gears, one meshing gaged.

3' remain idle the levers are operated so that the clutch and valve are brought into the position shown in Fig.'2 that 'is, the

valves in the cylinders are wide open and the clutch lais disengaged, therefore the casing '6'-' will rotate freely about the any motion Whatever to the" shaft e-{by reason of the fact thatpractically m re-gsistance isoffered to the'planetary movement of the gears '10- and 1l about the shafts +2 and 3' as an axis. HoW-' ever if it is Wished to impart motion to the V -.means for"driv;ing said pistons; from said eccentric surfaces, and means for varying; the openings of. thefsai diportslin the said v shaft -3- the clutch l6 is thrown into engagement with the casing '6- and the eccentrics are thereby caused to operate the? pistons. And now if the'casing be filled'partially with oil'or other fluid so that it submerges both ends of each cylinder and is thereby caused to enter the valves; the re- H sistance of the oil to expulsion from the cylinders by the piston serves to retard the speed of the eccentric drum -12 and.

casing 6 carrying the gears -10-} and of the speed of the shaft 2- by varying theresistance of the oil to expulsion frorn the cylinders by the pistons. And this resistance'is varied by changing the-valve openings. Therefore as the valves of the said cylinders close the resistance increases due'to the decrease in the size of the openings, and when the valves are entirely closed the members 6 and l2 Will be stainiaagao convenient to provide, 'in the drive shaft beclutch of any of the usualtypesnowin use, lit is understood that many 'niodifications Way departin -What I claim is 1 g fronithe "spirit of sameif;

mission jgear, cir 'rnpri'singv in combination, a cas1h"g';'ad apted to contain fluid Y therein, "a drrving'shaft enteringthe said casing having a gear dispose'd at theend thereofia (1111 811 shaftentering said casing and liav ing a gear disposed at the end thereof, and

said shafts being in ali nement, an annular easing mounted OnQthe said shaft and with the said gear on the driving shaft and the other. with .the said gear on the driven shaft, saidannular casing being adapted to' form a female clutch member, an eccentric drum rotatably disposed on thesai'ddriven shaft and having'one or moreeccentric"sur-fl faces on the periphery thereof, ainale clutch ,member' disposed bathe said clri've n shaft]. and adapted to. form a driving connection.

between said eccentric rum and said 'an'n'u lar casing,oneormore'cyl1nders d1sposed 1n cylinders.

ing a gear'disposed thereon, a driven shaft entering said casing and-ha ving a gear dis-j f v posed thereon, said shafts being in alinesaid casing and having ports thereima pis ton disposed in each of the. said cylinders].

ment, an annular casing rotatably mounted onthe said'shafts and having disposed therein tWo' gears adapted tomov'e planet azily about said first mentioned gears, one. a. o

said gears meshing with thefsaid gear on the driving shaft and'the other ,with the):

said gear on the driven sh'aft,'said' annular member, an eccentricf drum rotatably disposed on the said'driven shaft and having one .or more eccentric, surfaces on the pecasing being adapted to form a female clutch 12 5 riphery thereof, and'having an annular bore i therein, a maleclutch member slidably dis-i. posed .onthe said driven shaft and fitting in.

the said annular bore of-Ithe eccentric drum,

and adapted to engage said eccentric drum and annular casing and form a rigid driving connection therebetween, one or more cylinders disposed in said casing and having ports therein, a piston disposed in each of the said cylinders, means for driving said piston from said eccentric surfaces, means for varying the opening of the said ports in the cylinder, and means for simultaneously operating the said male clutch member and means for varying the port openings.

3. A fluid controlled variable s eed transmission gear, comprising in com ination, a casing adapted to contain fluid therein, a driving shaft entering said casing and having a gear disposed at the end thereof, a driven shaft entering said casing and having a gear disposed at the end thereof, and said shafts being in alinement, an annular casing mounted on the said shaft and adapted to rotate thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in the said annular casing and carrying thereon two gears one gear meshing with thesaid gear on the driving shaft and the other with the said gear on the driven shaft, said gears being adapted to move planetarily about the axis of said driving and driven shafts, an eccentricdi'u'm rotatably disposed on the said'driven shaft and having one or more eccentric surfaces on the periphery thereof, said drum and annular casing being bored to receive therein the fingers of a male clutch member a male clutch member, having fin ers, isposed on said driven shaft and adapted to form a driving connection between said eccentric drum and said annular casing, one or more cylinders disposed in said casing and having ports therein, a piston dis osed in each of the said 0 lindel's, means or driving said piston rom said eccentric surfaces, slide valves for closing said cylinder ports, and means for simultaneously operatin said clutch member and slide valves.

11 testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER EARLE SCHEIBNER.

Witnesses:

G. THOMPSON, J. MCPHERSON. 

